The £65m that briefly made Alisson the world’s most expensive goalkeeper has been repaid and then some in his big-game heroics for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp understood the importance of signing a top-level stopper when he sanctioned a world-record outlay to bring Alisson to Anfield from Roma.
On the Brazilian’s move in 2018 he was heralded by the manager as “one of the world’s best goalkeepers,” and he slotted in swiftly and established himself as one of the Reds’ most important players.
This has been no more apparent than in must-win games and finals, such as in Saturday evening’s Club World Cup triumph over Flamengo, in which he made three saves.
In fact, as highlighted by Liverpool fan and data analyst Dan Kennett, Alisson has saved every shot on target during the club’s five “win or go home” games since his arrival:
Alisson Becker has played 5 "win or go home" matches for #LFC. Either finals or games where we faced elimination.
Flamengo
Salzburg A
Spurs
Barca H
Napoli H
In those matches he has saved ALL 26 opposition shots on target. Including 6 big chances ?— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) December 22, 2019
It began with the group stage decider at home to Napoli in last season’s Champions League, in which Alisson produced another trio of saves including a 91st-minute stop to deny Arkadiusz Milik an equaliser.
Against Barcelona at Anfield, the 27-year-old made five saves, while in the Champions League final he made a remarkable eight.
In the 2-0 victory at Salzburg earlier this month there came another seven, with the win again ensuring the Reds progressed to the last 16 of the competition, avoiding the prospect of an early exit as defending champions.
As Kennett notes, Alisson‘s 26 big-game saves have included all six big chances for the opposition, and though Liverpool’s defence certainly deserves credit for their success, the efforts of the goalkeeper are phenomenal.
Discussing the importance of his save against Napoli with the the Independent‘s Melissa Reddy last month, Alisson described it as “an all-or-nothing moment.”
“I think I put my name in the history of Liverpool with the save against them in a decisive match, an all-or-nothing moment, with our Champions League lives on the line,” he explained.
“I put everything I had into that save and we put everything we had into that game.”
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